West Indies ‘A’ all-rounder Romario Shepherd scored his maiden first-class century as he and Raymon Reifer rescued the West Indies ‘A’ from a disastrous start to their match against New Zealand ‘A’ at the Mount Maunganui ground in New Zealand on Thursday (Wednesday night Caribbean).
The 26-year-old Shepherd scored 133 while mounting a 199-run eighth wicket partnership with Reifer that hauled the West Indies back from a precarious 113 for 7. Reifer scored a patient 65 that along with Nicholas Pooran’s 46 in the top order, took the West Indies to 322 all out.
At the close, New Zealand A were 10 without loss.
The West Indies were in trouble early losing the wickets of Brandon King and Shayne Moseley for 3 and two, respectively as the Caribbean men slumped to 13 for 2 in the fifth over.
Pooran and Rovman Powell put together a 66-run third-wicket partnership as the West Indies set about repairing the early damage but Nathan Smith took the first of his three wickets when he had Powell caught behind for 27, triggering another collapse.
With the fall of Powell’s wicket, the West Indies were 79 for 3, which soon became 79 for 4 as Smith had Kyle Myer out caught without scoring. Smith claimed his third wicket when he had Pooran caught by Joe Carter to make it 88 for 5.
Smith finished with 3 for 37.
Joshua DaSilva had made only 2 when Scott Kuggeelejin had him caught behind and the West Indies were further in the rut at 88 for 6.
Jacob Duffy, who had earlier claimed Moseley’s wicket, returned to dismiss Fabian Allen for 19 leaving the West Indies were in dire straits at 113 for 7, before Shepherd and Reifer launched their counter-offensive.
The pair put on 50 runs in just 67 balls while the 100-run partnership came up in 166 balls and 118 minutes as the West Indies crossed the 200-run mark.
Reifer’s patient 50 was made off 132 balls after being at the crease for more than three hours.
By contrast, Shepherd’s maiden 100 came off just 135 balls in 186 minutes.
Together, they took the score to 312 when Duffy had Reifer caught behind for 65.
Duffy got the wickets Hayden Walsh for 8 and Shepherd, who was last out for 133, to finish with figures of 4 for 47.